Transboundary landscapes

Abstract
The research aims at identifying the role of transboundary landscape as a carrier of cultural identity as well as a resource requiring attention and valorisation. The project will focus on how the different cultural and historical contexts produce different landscapes in similar natural conditions, and further on how the specific characters of such landscapes should be managed in land-use planning, local administration and environmental conservation.
The study will be carried out in a set of test areas located in the border areas of Russia, Finland and Estonia. The study will a)analyse landscape change as a result of human impact linking with the ethnic, cultural and politico-economical situation of the related historical periods; b) identify the cultural and symbolic aspects of landscape, tracing their links with ethnic, regional and national identity; c) monitor the influence of prevalent landscape images on land use; d) indicate ways for the sustainable management of transboundary landscapes.
The geographical emphasis will be placed on the Russian border area reaching from the Karelian Isthmus to Pskov and the adjacent Finnish and Estonian areas, together forming culturally and historically intertwined regions. Research activities will be carried out in three sites at two different national borders. These include: 1 Russian-Finnish border area from Middle Karelia to St Petersburg. 2 Russian-Estonian border area north of Lake Peipsi, from St Petersburg to Kohtla-Järve. 3 Russian-Estonian border area south of Lake Peipsi, from Tartu to Pskov.
The research team formed by the universities of Turku, St. Petersburg and Tartu will comprise landscape researchers, geographers, planners, historians and social scientists. As the cultural diversity and hence the diversity of cultural landscapes is relatively high in the Eastern rim of Europe, joining the different scholarly angles will provide new interdisciplinary insights on the area. The core group consisting of the three participating institutions will respond for carrying out the research. The University of Turku will coordinate the project. The leading researchers of each participating group will form a steering committee managing the project, supervising its scientific quality and disseminating its results.

Project leader: Prof. Maunu Häyrynen, University of Turku, Box 124 FI-28101 Pori, tel +358-2-627 2882, mauhay(at)utu.fi

Researcher:
Hannes Palang, University of Tartu, palang(at)ut.ee
Gregory Isachenko, State University of St Petersburg, greg(at)GI1395.spb.edu
Tatiana Isachenko, State University of St Petersburg, 
Kirsi Niukko, University of Turku, kirsiniukko(at)yahoo.com
Helen Sooväli, University of Tartu, helens(at)ut.ee
Anu Printsmann, University of Tartu, prints(at)ut.ee
Jeanna Solomina, State University of St Petersburg

Project description